Elizabeth Little

An egomaniacal movie director, an isolated island, and a decades-old murder—the addictive new novel from the bestselling author of Dear Daughter.

Marissa Dahl, a shy but successful film editor, travels to a small island off the coast of Delaware to work with the legendary–and legendarily demanding–director Tony Rees on a feature film with a familiar logline.

Some girl dies. 

It’s not much to go on, but the specifics don’t concern Marissa. Whatever the script is, her job is the same. She’ll spend her days in the editing room, doing what she does best: turning pictures into stories.

But she soon discovers that on this set, nothing is as it’s supposed to be–or as it seems. There are rumors of accidents and indiscretions, of burgeoning scandals and perilous schemes. Half the crew has been fired. The other half wants to quit. Even the actors have figured out something is wrong. And no one seems to know what happened to the editor she was hired to replace. 

Then she meets the intrepid and incorrigible teenage girls who are determined to solve the real-life murder that is the movie’s central subject, and before long, Marissa is drawn into the investigation herself.

The only problem is, the killer may still be on the loose. And he might not be finished.

A wickedly funny exploration of our cultural addiction to tales of murder and mayhem and a thrilling, behind-the-scenes whodunit, Pretty as a Picture is a captivating page-turner from one of the most distinctive voices in crime fiction.

“Elizabeth Little is part of an exciting new generation of crime writers who have been bending this sturdy genre into new, unexpected shapes. Pretty as a Picture is a glorious buffet—a twisty story, a cinephile’s delight, a knockout of a heroine. I loved it.” –Laura Lippman, New York Times–bestselling author of Lady in the Lake and Sunburn

“Shows an analytic prowess that left me dazzled and mentally gratified…. The standout feature of Pretty as a Picture is its idiosyncratic heroine, whose observational skills and deductive reasoning make her a true twenty-first century rival of Sherlock Holmes.” –Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

“Murder and mayhem plague a film set on a secluded island. . . . Readers fascinated with the behind-the-scenes machinations of a movie set will be enthralled, plus there’s a frisson of romantic tension. . . . A quirky and distinctive heroine headlines this fun and fast-paced thriller loaded with cinematic flourishes.” –Kirkus Reviews

“Pre-order this one now. Go ahead, put it in your basket. . . . . Little has an extraordinary gift for capturing voice. . . . [She] depicts perfectly what it feels like to be a little different and on the outside. . . . Startling plot twists. I can’t recommend this one highly enough.” –Crimespree Magazine

“Pretty as a Picture is a remarkable thriller that succeeds on almost too many levels. It’s sharp and stylish, witty and fierce, not to mention extremely intelligent. Little perfectly and expertly conjures the unglamorous side of filmmaking—the gruesome grind of a movie shoot—in meticulous detail. This is no mere crime novel, but a must read for anyone with a passion for movies or the industry.” –Ivy Pochoda, author of Wonder Valley

“Elizabeth Little’s fantastic new book is part parable of the film industry, part feminist thriller, and part ode to the rise of the true crime podcast.” –CrimeReads

“I am a sucker for a tough yet vulnerable heroine, and in Pretty as a Picture, Elizabeth Little gives the reader an excellent one, and sets her against a brilliantly toxic backdrop of glitz and entitlement.” –Ruth Ware, New York Times–bestselling author of The Turn of the Key and The Woman in Cabin 10

“[A] smart, cinematically steeped page-turner. . . . Little scores with the achingly vulnerable Marissa, whose specific set of skills enables her to see the big picture before anyone else. Psychological thriller fans will be well satisfied.” –Publishers Weekly

“Engaging and irresistible from the very first page, Pretty as a Picture is a smart and compelling thriller filled with surprises. Little writes with such a clear, confident, and witty voice, I found myself smiling as I read.” –Alafair Burke, New York Times–bestselling author of The Better Sister

“Pretty as a Picture is a doozy. Marissa Dahl is a smart, gifted and sought-after film editor, but also a hot mess of self-worth issues, compulsions and problems relating to everyday life. When a brilliant, legendarily demanding director summons her to a remote island, she’s reluctant—but, for the sake of her career, she can’t say no. The director is making a film about a real-life murder that took place there decades earlier, and the disaster-prone shoot has started to echo that crime. Both a captivating thriller and a snarkily funny send-up of Hollywood pretensions, the book glories in movie references—film fans will be especially rewarded.” –Seattle Times

“Pretty as a Picture is an atmospheric thriller that sparkles with intelligence and irrepressible wit, anchored by the singular voice of Marissa Dahl, a mega-competent female film editor plagued by anxiety. Elizabeth Little has an impeccable ear for dialogue and a sharp eye for detail, and she’s created a page-turner that is as well written as it is captivating. I enjoyed every scene and sentence of this glorious book.” –Steph Cha, author of the Juniper Song trilogy and Your House Will Pay